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Idol Rewind - season 2


Couch Tomato

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I think Josh was very strong in the competition until the very end when IMO he lost his taste for it and stopped trying.

Jamar, you may be right! I believe he had/has a great deal of integrity like Clay, only perhaps willing to put up with much less than Clay. dunno

But I have yet to understand why he was NOT included on the AI2 Tour. I have read conflicting reports that he was not allowed to due to active duty and yet that was squelched and found not to be true. Anyone here know of any other information regarding this? It seems to be such a coincidence with the Matt Lauer interview.

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jamar....I do know what you mean and actually, I'm happy that Josh has had success as a recording artist in the country music world. My take was that the final four should've been Clay, Ruben, Kim and Trenyce---if I were to base that on the strength of their overall vocal performances throughout the competition. So I think that Josh's Marine storyline got him votes at times when his voice should not have.

In any case I admire the guy for his candor and was wanting to grab him and hug him silly during the Matt Lauer interview. Talk about cojones! :F_05BL17blowkiss: I always got the impression that he and Clay liked and maybe admired each other.

On CH some were talking about the new flashy staging and lighting and band, etc., on this year's AI. Yeah---it's lovely and all. And flashy and all. And I do think that this year's crop has some good talent in it.

But I also have to compare all the bells and whistles now with the stark background in those early years of the shows. A recorded soundtrack as your backup and a goofy screen with flames or water or whatever behind you--

and your voice.

And since that time, I've come to realize how unnecessary all the added stuff is---whether it's the live band and fancy lighting on stage or the pro-tools and technical magic-making in the studio---

Clay simply doesn't need it---any of it. He and his voice are all there needs to be.

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Eeee - opinions...

Josh had a large internet contingent - really. His biggest pimping moment (and probably the last) was after Celebaration train wreck, tellingthe audience he was sick - everyone on that show was sick at one time or another with that cold or strep throat. I remember the contestants talking about how they were all so sick on an entertainment show), even Clay (food poisoning at wildcard results, walnuts and hospital trip and steroid shot at lunch Billy Joel performance, the strep throat. I thought he had good days and bad days, but I still think Clay was the only one who was consistantly good. There are a few notes out of order, but it is stress full, he had illnesses like everyone one else (except Ruben, who I think was sick for the last 3 shows). Trenyce was good but she had a few clunkers, but on Oprah, Clay talked about how she was her own worst enemy by picking songs that were recent , memrable and idenitified strongly with some music icon. She also did songs note for note thesame as the original. Now Trenyce also fought with a lot of the people behind the scenes and was not a favorite ofthe staff, it is fine to dislike people, but when you work with them, not so good, they can really screw you over. Her main complat was taht Byrd and orland spent more time with Clay and Ruben, and while I can see that at the end when everyone knew who would be in the finale, in the beginning it might have had more to do with personal style getting more help, you don't argue with people, they want to spend more time with you and I can see it with the changed up vocal arrangements - if you make it interesting, they will also want to spend time with you. With out a time keeper, there is no way of knowing if this is fact. Somewhere along the line, we learned that the contestants had to come up with their own ideas on howthe performance was to be percieved and did something with the choosing of the backgrounds and staging. Another interesting thing isthat no one ever mentions the other vocal coach, but he has a web sited discussing how he worked on AI as a vocal coach since season 1. maybe, maybe not.

What I find surprising was that of the people appearing on that season, Clay and Kim L were the only people who given up trying for a career in music, everone else was still in it.

I think in the beginning, Clay could be praised because he was thought of as not winning because he was not pretty or catagorizable except in the "goll-eeee Mayberry way" way. Simon gave a few tips, but was also negative without explaining. I still don't get Motown the musical - was it too melodic? His "its horrible" comments really were stupid and Ithink he did it 3 times. Paula gave Clay good advice once in awhile, but she was not yet in full "gift" mode.

I still say, having watched 6 years of AI and AI1 on-line, no one has received as many standing O's from Randy, Paula or guests since Clay and Ruben, but mostly Clay. I always wonder how the latest greatest season ever does not get standing Os? I don't think last year hada single one. My opinion was they were always surprised at the performances being so good year 2 - and Clay did say a lot of them would hold back in reherasal and go all out for the performance - the judges opinion formed at rehersal are important, but the voters are most important.

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I have been watching clack for the last couple of hours and I still can't get over just how incredible Clay's Mack the Knife was.

How come Charles and Vanessa were not included in Burt Bacharach's "What the World Needs Now" Seems that they would leave out just two people.

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Oh bay-bay, Mack the Knife was killer!! Paula had the right response to it too. He WAS cool that night. I can't tell you how many times I have watched that piece of clack. And I get so tired of people comparing him to Bobby Darrin and then Blakeyboi...ugh! I think Clay made it his own that night just as he has done with nearly every single cover song he's ever touched with his voice. He truly is one of "the greats".

And he looks mah-ve-lous in a tux too :flirtysmile3:

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OK, watchingthe Diane Warren show right now.

It seems no one was sure they would still be there....It ws not only Clay, but everyone, there were sad faces on that stge when you look at people other than Clay.

I had to laugh at Kim L when she said Dianne Warren could be writing for any of the, well, she did write for Clay, but it wasn't used, heh.

Didn't remember Kimberley's performance, how weird, I take the AI tapes to the beach with me and play them there. So Simon said since Kimberly changed her hair she looked cute - this was the less insulting version of "you were so ugly" comment.

Clay performed, how cute about Simon saying he would make a fortune on Broadway - little did he really know and yay for Clay's prescient comment about singers on Bradway being the best, although it is not always true, even in his show. Some are journeymen singers, they did add more challenge to clay's role, after all.

Are we forgetting the sweeter, gentler Trenyce? She seemed to be more cocksure and aggressive on the show. I can agree she was young and was fighting to survive while on the show. The judges seemed to judge her under some harsher rules and I can see where the special relationship tha Clay and Ruben and even Kim had with the various people may have rankled, but she did choose to publically complain about several people while she was still on the show, and, yes, she is the one who let the cat out of the bag about Kim dating Nigel's son.

Hmm, did the judges just honestly judge Josh, or did they want him out, He did sound bad (not celebration bad, though, that may have been a show low)

Carmen - she thought she would be in the bottom three and MIGHT leave!!! Oh, Carmen, Carmen, Carmen!

And now Ruben does music of my heart....Hah, I remember the out rage on the Claythread at TWOP because the Ruben did not have to learn the words, he had the back ups sing the words and he sang back up, Hee. And Dawg man says Clay and Ruben are the real stuff.. Heh. He did indeed make this song his own. Ah,he was sick. Wan't everyone sick at one time or another?

Well, this was a good group song to lose, it was the Shine, step step turn......Step step turn.....etc.

Bottom 3, why is Josh there? I know he had that two hour internet pledge going for him, how many people stopped voting for him by then? It explains the voting surge for him next week.

Well, it was interesting to see her accept it at the end. I think all idol groups are protective of their younger people, except maybe Jessica Sierra, who went out drinking and whatg ever with the older idols on tour every night she has said.

I do thinkthere are issues with delusion at the end, Ithink Trenyxce is really working the interview part, she has grown in wisdom with all the hard work she did after idol (touring companies, failed reality show,....still no label even a small one) she is really coming accorss very well in teh interview portion (why did Clay not comb his hair, this is not one of his better appearances, but they probably did interviews on a shoe string and didn't let them look in a mirror - "come in here now!!! do this, do that....."

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Because I'm a bad, bad girl!

Have just returned from being groped by an eight-month old...and my crappy internet finally came back up...and just in time for Couchie to take care of everything! Timing, people...It's a wonderful thing!

Black leather - Could Not Ask For More on Diane Warren week - which happens to be this week's AI Rewind, which I shall review now:

Honestly, before this show I swear I had never heard of Diane Warren before - apparently a lot of the cool kids hate her because she wrote tons and tons of popular power ballads. So of course I'm predisposed to like her. Ok, with as much money as she makes, she could dress better.

KLo's up first, with "If You Ask Me Too" which as far as I know, I've never heard before. I think her pants are too short and make her hips look enormous. This is one Kim's better performances - she's throwing everything in there but the kitchen sink because she is clearly tired of being in the bottom three. Randy - blah blah, Paula - blah blah, Diane - blah blah; now here is one of Simon's comments that pissed me off more than anything he ever said to Clay - about how glad he is that Kimberley got rid of her "weird" hair. I remember me and my sister calling each other up and saying, "Fuck you, Simon - who the hell do you think you are? What, only processed hair and weaves look "cute"? And fuck you too Randy for agreeing with the ass. Stupid bastards.

Ooh, it's Clay's grandma! Now she has a North Carolina accent! Clay does "I Could Not Ask For More", another song that I had never heard of before - but totally fell in love with this performance. Man, this was pretty - as was my boy Clay. Though compared to what he wears now, that outfit was cheap, cheap, cheap! Randy says Clay's one of the best in America; Paula gives what she calls constructive criticism - keep doing what your doing; Diane thinks Clay's wonderful but she thinks everyone is wonderful; Simon really pitches the Broadway thing - if I put the best spin on it, Simon has a point - Broadway star longevity, truly great voice, I don't know about the fortune but assume they ain't cheap; and that AI was probably looking for something more like a disposable pop star like, let's say...some female pop star we were comparing Clay's sales number too for MOAM I think - and the girl has disappeared. - the one before Hannah Montanna. Who will also probably disappear by the time she hits 19.

Trenyce does "Have You Ever" - again another one I've never heard of. She starts out really breathy and tentative but picks up steam by the end. She's wearing a black leather jacket too but no one cares. Nice, but a little blah. Randy says blah blah, Paula says blah blah and you look pretty, Diane says blah blah - great, wonderful la la la, Simon is being an ass to Diane, and says Trenyce is hiding her personality - but says nothing about her singing. I do like in the afterward that Trenyce reminds us how young they were and how afraid they were of fucking up.

Dear me. Josh is up next, singing another song I never heard of, That's When I'll Stop Loving You. I swear Josh has become a completely different singer since he left the show because he totally sucked. Even in the preview thingie with Diane. He sounds like a guy you are trying to talk out of trying out for the high school talent show - so many of those so called notes are just painful. If he sang that to me in high school, he'd be single now. Randy - blah blah hate it; Paula blah blah - terrible but good try; Diane blah blah - you're great (and I'm delusional); Simon ripped him a new one. Josh also reminds us they were a little lost and he actually paid attention to what they told Ruben and Clay, unhappily he apparently didn't realize that he didn't have Ruben and Clay talent.

Goat girl. Finally, a song that I know and love - Love Will Lead You Back. I also know it will totally kick Carmen's ass. And I swear to God, that was the flattest rendition of what is supposed to be a soulful ballad that I have ever had the misfortune to hear. And when she said "it has a lot of high notes and low notes" my eyes rolled so far back in my head I thought they would be stuck there. She also needs to take about half a pound of lip gloss off. She apparently tried to control the goat thing but just let it rip at the end with the entire last note - to the point where her CHIN was QUIVERING. She just made one of my favorite ballads totally passionless. One of the things that tickled me back in the day was that Shack in his recap, told Carmen that if she wanted to hear a good, perfectly done vibrato, listen to Clay. And he hated Clay with a clear, true and pure passion. Now, this may seem mean to a lot of people but for me, this was one and only time where the judges were totally honest: Randy (who hated Carmen by this time) baa'ed at her again (and yes, I laughed again) and said she didn't even come close to being the best in America and Carmen gives him this totally stunned look. I blame Simon for putting her through. Paula babbles on about bouncing back from last week and Diane says "best evah" - and Randy undercuts Paula by asking "but is that good enough?" Simon hammers the nails in her coffin by telling her she can't win but she had done well to get that far.

Carmen is still a little delusional - because even if she had taken risks - Clay, Ruben, Kimberly and Trenyce were light-years ahead of her in talent. They just were.

Ruben does "Music of My Heart" another one I haven't heard of and apparently from another frickin' movie. Ruben needs a new hobby. He sings it really well, and I really have no urge to ever hear it again. Randy blah blah - you up there with Clay; Paula blah blah - risky (yeah, right); Diane blah blah - wonderful great; Simon - idiot, but he picked the top three talentwise. Ruben acknowledges that his voice was starting to fail.

Results: The correct bottom three - Trenyce, Josh and Carmen. The correct one got sent back - Trenyce; and the correct one went home - Carmen. Buh bye!

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I do notice that for some reason Clay fans just love Josh cuz they think he spoke up for Clay and against Ruben. I never gave him any brownie points because I didn't really like him. But Trenyce was the first person to say on Wayne Brady that she expected Clay should win but Ruben will win. I always thought that was a bit strange. But she knew of the reaction to him, the mail..and in her opinion Clay was more popular.

I always liked Trenyce..her outspokeness and her singing.

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heh, I think Trenyce is wiser now. She fought the system and it went against her, she really was abused, she did not have anything niceto say about the staff. Then she sided with Corey and that did her no good. I am still not sure what happened with Corey, but Clay should not have been the finalword onit as he and Josh lived in a separate part of the mansion, any more that the females should have commented since they were in a different floor/wing. Nope the only people who knew were Ruben, and Rickey and they had nothing to say.

I think that the problem was nailed sort of by Simon and sort of by Clay and Ruben. Trenyce sang songs like the original artist and sang recent songs so they could be remembered. Maybe she lacked training to change songs up, but it definiately hurt her. Now they just take a lesser knonw version of a song and get congratulated on "making it their own", only not.

What is interesting is that shortly after the end of Idol, trenyce was on a radio interview wehre she said she never had a chance, she said that Clay and Ruben got everything they wanted (except maybe "when a man loves a woman"?) and they got more attention from the staff. While I believe that may be true, I can't help but wonder how her arguing with people affected any help she might get. She said they got more time with Byrd, and Byrd in some interview said it was a struggle to work with Trenyce because she had ideas taht could not be made to work and she did not want to change up songs. Trenyce said Ruben and Clay got more time with Orland, Well, he also like Kim Locke a lot, so I don't know exactly what she meant there. Trenyce said the guys got more help with staging, but we know that Clay said he approached people to set up how he wanted to present Solitaire, perhaps Trenyce did not know how to approach them. I don't know if she is right or wrong, if anything, I don't think AI thought Clay would go to the end (I believe they thought the cool people would go farther) until a bit into the show. No Clay did not get a lot of end (pimp) spots until after the top 7.

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In a way, I felt sorry for Trenyce - because except for the wild card show she really wasn't one of the favored children - and the name change and the shoplifting thing didn't help - and on stage she did seem very reserved. Some of the things that were apparently being said backstage about her were excessively nasty though and how much of it was true and how much of it was just a real hate on I don't know. She does come across as a tad bit arrogant in at least one post AI article...

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Well, Simon was the one who said that Kim C, Trenyce and Corey were an item and he repeated it in his book. Dean, the recently fired hairdresser, said the vicious things about her on the Chicago radio, but he was also the one, who early on, said that Clay was gay but didn't know it - so this ass was not nice to many people over the years, I just wished they fired him years ago. I don't know where Simon got his information, but everyone invovled and others in the house have said that is not true. Trenyce said that dean almost made her hair fall out and Dean did not know how to manage black hair and damaged hers and hired her own hairdresser. I can see where Dean spread a lot of negative Trenyce talk.

On the other hand, Trenyce said she was the one who organized the top 12 to not sign with a 19 offered lawyer and brought in an outside lawyer who got seson 2 the best contract ever (she said this in 2005 Paula incident time), the most money for the tour and a clothing allowance, contradicting Corey who said he brought in an outside lawyer on Paula's suggestion. It is murky back in those older stories.

ETA: Heh, I went to the start of Trenyces thread on TWOP and found this information was from interviews in the start of 2004 in Panfandom, a web site that no longer exists. Unfortunately while thigs are discussed, they are not quoted.

Here are cherry picked posts from early 2004 TWOP - not great research, but all there is with the articles gone.

I'm also calling BS on her story. Based on interviews from the other contestants, the kids and their families were encouraged to use the lawyers on 19's list or to seek out their own lawyer. It was never Trenyce's magical inspired idea.

One great thing about her interview is she makes it clear all (or most) of the kids had lives and performance experience and have been knocking on doors trying to get a break long before Idol. They've paid their dues as much as any other entertainer. Trenyce gets a gold star for that.

I think that it's so interesting how so many people took her interview to be projecting different attitudes. After reading Simon's book **hanging my head in shame** and how he was going off about her bitchy diva-ness, I expected a lot worse from her in this interview (although I was a fan of hers on the show). Yes, I think that she has a pronounced attitude of entitlement, but so do most of the other contestants who just want to "share their gift with the world".

I thought that she sounded very level-headed and did admit several times during the interview that she would not be where she is without AI. I also liked how she tried to give the AI franchise an air of legitimacy by saying how a vast majority of the contestants had been trying to get their careers off the ground for years, and this was just another opportunity. I'm also impressed that she gave such a long interview. Most that I read with other contestants are very short. So, although I am seeing her divaness come out more and more, I respect her frank and logical approach to things.

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In a way, I felt sorry for Trenyce - because except for the wild card show she really wasn't one of the favored children -

Like I've said before....Trenyce has always been one of my favorites on this show. All seasons. I thought she was head and shoulders above Tamyra as a performer. I've never understood why she wasn't embraced, at least at some point, by the judges during the run of the show. Her comment last night about being aware that what you do and say "will stay with you forever"... IMO speaks to her maturity level. I've really enjoyed listening to her "now" commentary and I love her look. The shorter hair style is very flattering and she is rockin! that yellow.

I thought that was the performance that spelled the beginning of the end for Josh. Not sure what he was thinking.

Ruben's song was apparently forgettable for me because I don't remember that performance. I didn't think it was his best effort and the arrangement did come off as bit lazy. But the truth is, at the time I never noticed the backing tracks for any of the performers. :shrug:

For the umptieth week in a row Kim just leaves me cold. Vocally good. Just nothing special. I get no warmth from her. At all.

I thought that was one of Carmen's better performances. She had stopped the spread legs, bent forward thing and she has a nice tone to her voice. I've always loved that song and I thought she did a credible job. Her vibrato never bother me much. Maybe it's my country roots but I tend to like some unusual voices. Willy Nelson and Aaron Neville come to mind. I thought some of her now commentary was a bit sad too. Glad she was able to turn it around and learn from it. I though Ruben's commentary about her was cute.

It was refreshing not to see Caldwell's armpit this week.

I knew exactly who Diane Warren was. Anyone who watched the first Making the Band (O'Town) or PopStars (Eden's Crush) would have. And that's all I'll say about that. :)

---

eta...oopsie...almost forgot Clay. Oh well...it's not like you don't know :wub: I thought he was incredibly cute on the couch with Ru too. Love the song. Everyones version.

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Heh, I went to look up old stuff and found the original AI2 threads at fansofreality. I guess they are the oldest survving board and they tok articles and posted them in their entirety!

It was interesting that there were people insisting Clay had to be brought back for the wildcard. And EW liked season 2 at the beginning!

From ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

'Idol' singers improve

(Entertainment Weekly) -- You know how people say the NBA playoffs are a whole other game than the rest of the season? I think the same probably holds true for ''American Idol.''

Now that our final 12 have been chosen, it's a whole other TV show. And finally, it's becoming as compelling as it should have been all season long.

Stellar moments

But no amount of off-camera antics could top some of the stellar moments on stage. It's becoming all about Clay and Ruben. Maybe it was the time change affecting my tear ducts, but I actually got misty eyed when those two sang. And amazingly, people like Carmen and Trenyce, who I thought would be aural disasters, were among the strongest performers.

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Here is an after top 12 interview with Simon as it appeared in the NY post (excluding Paula Randy junk)

rinch-like "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell has anointed the two contestants he believes could win the latest round of the hit talent show - and has done a backflip on his own future with the top-rated program.

The most likely idols-to-be, Cowell says, are health-care worker Clay Aiken, 24, of Raleigh, N.C., and portly singing powerhouse Ruben Studdard, 24, from Birmingham, Ala.

"In the next few weeks, I think the person you're going to see getting stronger and stronger is Clay. I think he's the person to beat," Cowell said.

And the always-smiling Studdard is "very, very marketable."

Both contestants have already received standing ovations from Cowell's fellow judges - Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson - and even the hard-to-please Cowell has used "outstanding" and "excellent" to describe their performances.

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I pretty much only knew what I saw on TV. I didn't read on the boards until after the season so I didn't really know the personalities as described by family and friends. All i knew was that there was only one voice that stood out for me and that was Clays.

Otherwise I did enjoy Ruben, Treynece and Ricky' s voices. Kim Locke, kim Caldwell, Josh and Carmen's voices were pedestrian to me.

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You might wanna hold onto something....here comes my fine-tuned indepth review ~

Clay - FLove the hand gestures. He is from another era altogether! And he totally shines from the inside out in that performance.

Trenyce - The girl is wearing me out.

Ruuuub - eh.

Josh - huh?

K'Lo - Verra niice

Carmen - S'bout time!!

Clay - Gaahhh!

Diane Warren - For one so inarticulate I'm amazed at her songwriting abilities. just sayin'

Did I mention Clay? :clap::hubbahubba:

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[

Diane Warren - For one so inarticulate I'm amazed at her songwriting abilities. just sayin'

Yes I was surprised too, BUT it seems to be that way for a lot of talented writers, who can express themselves with such sensitivity and clarity in writing but cannot articulate what they feel in speech. Then there are those who take someone else's work and give the performance it deserves, but they cannot actually create the masterpiece themselves.

Then there's Pawler, who can't do either!

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So, Neil Sedaka week - Poor Trenyce, she was devistated by Simon's comment. Josh ot trashed as wellm, guess Simon and tptb decided who they wanted in the bottom 2'

Kim heard it thrugh the grapevine. I thought it was a bit low for her, but I amnot a musician....

Once again Randy got it worng - he did not tell him every week he sounded the same - these sound bytes that get reeated and belived ....annoying. And of course, Somon could not say anything nice so he played with Paua. Sheesh. I don't understand why so many waited for the next wek to fall for Clay, He looked pretty nice in that verra verra expensive suit!

Ah this is the show where Randy declared that Ruben already won, so nice to be prescient.

Trenyce did god and was happy with her second performance, so that was nice.

NONONONONON Not Bad Blood...How did Josh not get kicked off that week???? Eeekkkeeekkkeeekkke EEEWWW

I knew that Clay asked for the special lighting, but that is one thing that Trenyce stated an example of Clay and Ruben getting special privedges.

Now, with Ruben in the bottom 2, Simon looks shiocked although it wasreviealed that he knows th results before he sits at the desk.

It ws sweet that Ruben thought Trenyce ws the best, but Trenyce seemed unhappy.

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As I've been watching Idol Rewind, I find myself feeling a little sorry for Trenyce and Carmen. Carmen was just in over her head, she was just a kid, I have to give her credit for how she handled it at the time. Trenyce, Simon just plain and simple did not like the girl, and really some of the feedback he gave her was pretty mean. Now, if he believed what he said in the book about her "divaness", then perhaps he let that influence his critiques of her. It's hard to imagine going out on that stage and performing after being skewered each week. I'd bet it's a real drain on any confidence you might have had.

I always thought Trenyce was a really good singer, and as I watch her retrospective remarks, I find her more likeable than Kim Locke.

I even found myself feeling a little sorry for Josh. He knew he deserved to go and I kind of think the judges were harsher because Ruben was in the bottom 2

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Ok, was anyone else having a love affair with the smattering of freckles under those beautiful green eyes? GAH! :Thud: I wanna hear that "whole other story...." from Mr. Aiken about the light coming from his crotch! The ornery look on his face as they cut away from him had me :lmaosmiley-1:

I agree about Carmen & Trenyce. I don't remember it seeming so skewed at that time, but it definitely shows now.

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I keep forgetting to post my recaps here!

Weeeeel, I finally got around to watching this week's rewind...strangely enough it was both one of my favorite and yet worse Josh performances.

Neil Sedaka week! My lord, I frickin' loved Laughter in the Rain, and was so disappointed when Clay didn't sing it. Neil is a teeny, tiny man. But Ryan's shirt is just...flourescent. I swear that sucker glows in the dark.

Ruben is up first and oh my lord! He's swearing what looks like one of those giant plastic suits that make you sweat off water weight - this outfit is on a par with the green horror that Carmen wore once.. But Ruben sounded damn good doing "Ain't Too Proud To Beg". Randy loved it - Neil loved it - I have no earthly idea who Paula was watching dance but it clearly wasn't Ruben - Simon's joke was way off, I remember agreeing with Shack and saying, "cow shortage my ass, that outfit's what killed the dinosaurs!".

Trenyce and "Rollin' On the River" - she was TOTALLY chanelling Tina from the outfit to the singing. It was good Tina though - this is one of the cases that I think a live band and some backup singers would have really brought it for her. She looked good. Randy liked it - Neil liked her but thought she was doing Tina a little too much - Paula did a Ruben joke but liked her - Simon was being a complete and total ass. The "drag act" thing was just totally mean. And I did like how Trenyce is coming across in the interviews - but damn 12 lb is a lot for someone as skinny as her to lose - healthy contestants just don't seem to be a priority with this show.

Next up was Josh doing "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye". Honestly, this was my very favorite Josh performance - he was in tune and did the song sweetly and didn't beat me over the head with a fake twang. I thought it was excellent and therefore worrisome. I also found it interesting that he said in his interview that he did the song a lot. Randy liked the song choice but didn't like his performance and he baaed a little again. Randy has issues. Neil saw his nerves. Paula was encouraging Josh to act an ass again. Simon is ready for Josh to go. I also like Josh's interviews - he seems to be really bluntly honest.

Kimberly - again, I wasn't feeling her this week. I liked her outfit though it made her ass look incredibly round but at least the pants were long enough. This was a very karaoke version of "Heard It Through The Grapevine". It really was just bleh. Randy thought it was bleh. Neil loved her. Paula has 50 billion favorite songs and says she looks sexy but didn't comment on the singing. Simon says she can do better and she can. She is coming across as a little full of herself in her interview.

Now who could be next? Who, I wonder? Why, it's CLAY! YAY! He's doing Build Me Up Buttercup and kicking its ass! Honest to God, this was the first time that I honestly thought he did the song just way way WAY better than the original. He was moving around the stage - now it looks a little awkward but then, man he looked smoooooooth for Clay. Because Clay occasionally looked like he had his giant feet nailed to the floor. But with that first stand off the step, he OWNED that stage. He rocked the camera - followed the main one beautifully but where he was head and shoulders above anyone before or since with his camera work was with his transitions when the cameras changed. The man knows his profile rocks, he loves sideways looks, he loves eyefucks - he was just a camera wizard. I thought the suit was a little blah - but WAY better than those darned stripey shirts. Y'all make not have guessed this, I like Clay better than the others. Faye has that clever"priceless" sign. Randy was entertained - Neil LOVED it "perfection" - Paula saw his spirit dancing (apparently along with Ruben shakin' what his mama gave him) - and Simon was trying to one up him and Clay zinged him - HA HA!

Now they are on to Neil's stuff. Ruben hopefully burned that first outfit (maybe not burned, the pollution would have been horrible) and came out in a nice leather outfit (See the difference Simon?) and did a really pretty version of "Breakin' Up Is Hard To Do" I remember both versions, and Ruben's was closer to Neil's second release - but I liked it better. Randy's praise was OTT (and I think contributed to the shocker the next night); Neil loved it; Paula was clear and concise - weird for Paul; Simon finally noticed that most live in terror of his comments but liked the performance.

Trenyce came out and kicked "Love Will Keep Us Together" and the outfit was totally cute from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. And she looked like her really enjoyed the performance. I liked it. Randy liked it. Neil liked it. Paula liked it. Simon even liked it because he knew his comments from her first performance would be the one that was being repeated.

Josh. Oh, Josh. Dude just fucked this song totally up. And this was one of the more blatant shows of how the judges were inconsistent in their remarks. There was a standing joke on TWoP about Josh being constipated and man, I swear the contortions that man put his face though were scary. He strode around the floor hunched over and pointing at us like we had bad blood! And he didn't even sound like he was singing any more - it was flat, off key, bad notes, some goaty sounds and at one point I think he was speaking in Pictish. Ewwwwwwwwwww! Randy lost his mind. Neil was very careful in what he said. We already knew Paula had lost her mind. Simon was absolutely truthful. At the time, Josh was a little pissed because he knew he fucked up, and acknowledged in the follow-up interview.

Kimberly. I guess she sang this OK. She didn't update it at all. I just didn't like it. She really did look very cute in the pink though. Randy loved it. Neil loved it. Paula loved it. Simon loved it. Feh.

Hmmmm. One more performer. Who could it be? Why, it's CLAY again! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!.

I'll confess to this. I was totally indifferent to this performance. Didn't like the song. Did like the lighting effects (and didn't notice the glowing crotch until Clay pointed it out to me. Thank you, Clay!). Of course, by the tour and especially for AI3, he did it perfectly. I tend to watch those instead of this. Randy loved it. This was the most impressive guest judge reaction - Neil Sedaka cried listening to Clay sing this. Paula babbled something but she liked it. Simon was trying to take credit for Clay's changes but agreed it was a great performance.

Results: Trenyce got totally hosed - Josh was totally flabbergasted, but hell, she woulda only lasted another week. I don't think she could have caught Kim because Simon was too busy hating on her. I remember watching this live and thinking "Josh knew he was supposed to go home". I felt a little bad for Josh.

Next week - the BeeGees that Clay claims to know none of their songs. Hmph. The heathen!

Watching this on an HD TV is a revelation - not a freckle lover though. Still don't think they should have put Carmen through from the Wildside - it's clear now that they were trying to have an even number of boys and girls but didn't announce it.

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I'll confess to this. I was totally indifferent to this performance. Didn't like the song. Did like the lighting effects (and didn't notice the glowing crotch until Clay pointed it out to me. Thank you, Clay!). Of course, by the tour and especially for AI3, he did it perfectly. I tend to watch those instead of this. Randy loved it. This was the most impressive guest judge reaction - Neil Sedaka cried listening to Clay sing this. Paula babbled something but she liked it. Simon was trying to take credit for Clay's changes but agreed it was a great performance.

I can understand where you're coming from on this, KAndre'. I think part of the problem is that some songs, and Solitaire is one of them, are very hard to pull off in a minute and a half. It's a song that the emotion builds in each verse, so when you only hear one verse and the chorus your left wanting more. To me, it was the thing that set Clay apart from the other contestants, he always left me wanting more and still does.

I always look forward to your recaps of AI Rewind, it makes rewatching them even more fun.

Lookin ahead a week:

Regarding BeeGee's week, another inconsistency of note from Simon. As I recall he gave Clay very high praise for To Love Somebody, saying it was either the best or one of the best performances from any of the Idol shows he had judged, but in his book, that performance isn't even listed as one of the best from season 1 and 2,(for Clay he did list Solitaire and Bridge Over Troubled Water) he did of course list Grease as the worst of all from both seasons. Maybe Grease wiped out all of the good vibes of TLS for him. I still think Grease was a great performance, would a black jacket have made the difference for Simon?

Who knows. It probably just hit him that he had given Clay a great comment on his first song and would have to compesate for it on the second.

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